


What Then

by DoubleNegative



Series: The Beehive: 221Bs [3]
Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: 221B Ficlet, Established Relationship, Getting Older, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-06
Updated: 2014-01-06
Packaged: 2018-01-07 16:22:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1121974
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DoubleNegative/pseuds/DoubleNegative
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"You can't keep doing this forever, you know."</p>
            </blockquote>





	What Then

“You can’t keep doing this forever, you know,” John said, dabbing at the cut above Sherlock’s eye while Sherlock held the ice pack to his other eye.

“I can try,” Sherlock said, split lip making him slur. “I have a doctor to patch me up, after all.”

John sighed, brushing a curl off Sherlock’s forehead. “What if I’m not there? I can’t always be; you don’t always let me.”

Sherlock tilted his face up and leaned his head against John’s palm. “I do try.”

John stroked his thumb along Sherlock’s cheekbone. “You do, yeah. I just… we’re going to get older. Slower. It’s already started. And--I don’t mind going out in a blaze of glory, you know? But… what if we don’t? It’s always been the two of us, what if--” He cut himself off, swallowed hard.

“What if it’s not anymore?” Sherlock whispered.

John nodded, unable to speak for the lump in his throat. Images filled his eyes unbidden: Sherlock sprawled across the pavement, unmoving, blood seeping into his coat, his hair--

“We’ll stop before it comes to that,” Sherlock said, as if he knew what John was seeing. “I won’t do that to you again. Not for anything.”

“Then what?”

Sherlock smiled. “Then we find a cottage in Sussex. You’ll write, I’ll keep bees. I can’t imagine anything better.”

**Author's Note:**

> I can't stop with the 221Bs, you guys. I... I don't even know any more.
> 
> Unbeta'd, un-Brit-picked.
> 
> (ETA: Yeah, the AO3 word count says 222 words. Google Docs and my manual count say 221. Majority rules.)


End file.
